Tens Of Millions On Low-Carb Despite Reports Of Doom

Another day, another story about how the low-carb "fad" is over now and it's time to move on to a more "balanced" diet. If I had a dollar every time I heard that phrase, I would be a very rich man!

This story which appeared in the Ohio-based Dayton Business Journal and was reprinted on MSNBC claims that restaurants are beginning to remove their low-carb entrees from the menu now that demand has supposedly dropped.

That's not my experience. There are many low-carb options still available at such national restaurant chains as Ruby Tuesdays, Denny's, Hardee's, Subway, just to name a few. There are still millions upon millions of people who have lost weight and are keeping it off, in the midst of losing weight or looking for a great way to lose weight by choosing a low-carb lifestyle. While the media wants to declare the end to this way of eating, try telling that to the countless number of people who will still be doing low-carb years after it was supposed to be over.

"We just feel the low-carb craze is over, and people are realizing they need to eat a more balanced diet," said one of the restaurant owners who decided against expanding his low-carb menu.

"Balanced." Don't you just love that word? It's as if people think eating low-carb is not a healthy and balanced alternative to low-fat. I have tried eating "balanced" meals my whole life sucking down disgusting and unsatisfying low-fat foods to lose and maintain weight loss. If you can do that, then more power to you. But it didn't work for me as effectively as livin' la vida low-carb!

This story cites a recent study that shows that nearly 5 percent of Americans are on a low-carb lifestyle as of November 2004. WOWsers! That's a LOT of people doing low-carb!!! But I thought the "craze" and "fad" were finished? The way the media talks about the sudden death of low-carb, you'd think only a handful of people are still doing it. The fact is that literally tens of millions of people have made low-carb their permanent change for better overall health.

It's funny how one restaurant owner in the story blasts the low-carb way of eating and is threatening to remove those items from her menu, but then relented and said she'll keep them on the menu "just in case the low-carb craze hits again and because she said they taste good."

Meanwhile, other restaurants in the area are excited about the alternatives they can offer their low-carb customers.

"We have no intention of taking it off our menu," said a restaurant owner who is doing low-carb. "I continue to be surprised by how many restaurants don't have low-carb offerings."

And that is true. While some restaurants have been aggressively marketing the low-carbers, other well-known chains have completely ignored us. That's okay by me because I will only go to businesses that caters to my dining needs as a low-carb consumer. Don't capitulate and allow the media or restaurant executives dictate what you can eat and where you can dine!

While stories like this one are commonplace these days, it is not a reason for people who are livin' la vida low-carb to get discouraged. In fact, we need to laugh at the notion that this "fad" of doing low-carb is finished because we are living proof that it's not going anywhere anytime soon. You keep on eating this way and eventually they'll have to acknowledge us for sticking with a weight loss plan that worked!